Common name: Southern Banded Newt
Scientific name: Ommatotriton vittatus
Family: Salamandridae

Size:
Body length: 10–18 cm

Identification:
A slender and beautifully patterned newt with smooth skin and a long tail. The body is usually olive-brown to dark brown with lighter flanks and distinctive pale longitudinal bands running along the sides. During the breeding season, males develop a striking jagged dorsal crest and brighter coloration. The belly is orange to yellow with dark spotting.

Habitat:
Mountain streams, ponds, wetlands, forest pools, and moist woodland environments, especially in cooler elevated regions.

Status in Lebanon:
Native but localized. Found mainly in suitable freshwater habitats in mountainous and forested regions.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on aquatic insects, larvae, worms, and other small invertebrates.

Behavior:
Primarily nocturnal and strongly associated with water during breeding season. Outside breeding season, may remain hidden under stones, logs, or moist vegetation. Slow-moving and sensitive to habitat disturbance and water pollution. Breeds in clean freshwater environments.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)

Threats:
Habitat destruction, water pollution, wetland drainage, and climate-related habitat changes.